If a person has pain and swelling of the joints on the fingers, this significantly disrupts his performance. Pain and swelling can be so severe that it becomes difficult for the patient to do even simple homework. What could be causing these symptoms? And how to relieve pain and swelling? We will answer these questions in the article.
Possible diseases
Why does a person have pain and swelling in the joints of the hands? The cause of discomfort is most often inflammatory and degenerative processes in the musculoskeletal system, as well as injuries and pinching of peripheral nerves. Such symptoms are noted in the following diseases:
- arthritis;
- arthrosis (including thumb rhizarthrosis);
- gout;
- carpal tunnel syndrome;
- injuries to fingers.
Pain may be secondary. Joint damage is often just one of the symptoms of the following internaldiseases:
- renal and cardiac pathologies;
- infections;
- allergic reactions;
- hormonal disorders.
In some cases, the joints on the fingers hurt and swell due to muscle strain. This often occurs in people engaged in heavy physical work. Joint pain and swelling can be triggered by malnutrition. An excess in the diet of milk, flour products, citrus fruits, tea and coffee leads to a deterioration in the condition of the musculoskeletal system.
Provoking factors
Pain syndrome can be paroxysmal. There are cases when a person periodically swells up and hurts the phalanges of the fingers. These symptoms may worsen or worsen under the influence of the following factors:
- monotonous finger movements;
- hypothermia;
- sedentary work;
- long typing on the keyboard;
- excessive exercise.
Joint pain often increases with age. The reason for this is the aging of the body. Over time, the tissues of the joints wear out, and the cartilage and bones become weaker. Therefore, people over 40 need to dose the load on the joints. Special care should be taken by women older than 45-50 years. At this age, the level of estrogens in the body decreases and the risk of developing a decrease in bone density - osteoporosis increases.
Arthritis
If the knuckle of the finger on the hand is swollen and sore, it may be due to arthritis. This disease is accompanied by inflammation of the articularshells. With this pathology, the patient has a decrease in the release of lubricant, which ensures the movement of the fingers.
Arthritis of the fingers is a rather serious ailment. In advanced cases, this disease can lead to disability. Most often, inflammation of the joints develops against the background of the following pathologies:
- autoimmune diseases;
- metabolic disorders;
- infections (tuberculosis, brucellosis, syphilis);
- trauma.
Traumatization or hypothermia can also provoke the development of arthritis. The disease is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Pain syndrome. Arthritis pain is quite intense. They are felt not only at rest, but also when moving.
- Swelling and redness of the skin in the affected areas.
- Deformity of the joints.
- Deterioration of movement.
In many patients with arthritis, the joints on the fingers swell and hurt mainly in the morning, after sleep. During the day, the pain subsides, and the swelling subsides somewhat. Most often there is inflammation of several joints. This pathology is called polyarthritis. Less commonly, there is a lesion of one joint - monoarthritis.
Sometimes the patient notices that he has swelling and pain in the joint of the middle finger. Soon the pathological process passes to the index finger. These symptoms are typical for rheumatoid arthritis. This autoimmune disease is accompanied by the appearance of nodules on the hands, which look like small balls under the skin. Inflammation is oftensymmetrical in nature and passes to the middle and index fingers of the other hand.
Arthrosis
There are times when the patient's fingers are crunchy, swollen and aching. This could be due to arthritis. This is a degenerative-dystrophic joint disease that occurs due to wear and tear of cartilage. In this case, the tissues between the finger phalanges dry out and collapse, and the bones become denser, and growths appear on them. This causes severe pain when moving the fingers.
In addition to swelling and pain, arthritis is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- crunching when moving fingers;
- articular deformity;
- discoloration of the skin in the affected area.
This disease can be primary or secondary. The cause of primary arthrosis is a metabolic disorder in the joints. Normal cartilage is gradually replaced by fibrous tissue.
Secondary arthrosis develops against the background of the following pathologies:
- mechanical injury;
- endocrine disorders;
- inflammatory joint pathologies;
- diseases of the heart and blood vessels.
If arthrosis is secondary, then it can disappear only after the treatment of the underlying pathology.
At an early stage of the disease, the patient periodically hurts and swells the joints of the fingers. Pain syndrome usually appears with active movements. The swelling is expressed moderately. A crackling and clicking sound is heard when moving the fingers.
Further bouts of painoccur more and more frequently. Unpleasant sensations do not disappear even after rest. More often, patients feel a burning sensation in the fingers. This is due to the appearance of nodules in the affected joints.
In the later stages, the fingers are severely deformed, and movements are significantly hampered. The joints look red and swollen, and the pain is constant.
Rhizatroz
If the patient has pain and swelling of the joint of the thumb, then, most likely, this is due to rhizarthrosis. This disease is considered a type of arthrosis. Degenerative cartilage changes develop only in the thumb joint. At the same time, the rest of the hand remains he althy.
This disease most often develops in those people whose work is associated with frequent and monotonous movements of the thumb. Rhizarthrosis can also be a complication of injury or frequent colds.
This type of arthrosis begins with a slight pain and swelling in the area of the thumb joint. As the pathological process develops, unpleasant sensations intensify. There is redness of the skin on the affected area. The finger goes numb in the morning. Movement is difficult and accompanied by clicking or crunching.
If the joint of the thumb is swollen and sore, then such symptoms should not be ignored. Without treatment, rhizarthrosis can lead to bone deformity. In advanced cases, it is not possible to completely restore the mobility of the finger even with the help of a surgical operation.
Gout
This disease is most common in men over 40 years of age. Women suffergout is much less common. The cause of the pathology is a violation of the metabolism of uric acid. S alts of this substance (urates) accumulate in the joints and destroy cartilage and bones.
At the onset of the disease, the patient periodically swells and the joints on the fingers hurt. Attacks occur mainly at night and disrupt sleep. The pain syndrome can last from several days to a week. Then comes a period of remission, which is mistaken for recovery. Imaginary improvement can last even several years. But then the pains come back and the remissions become very short.
Gout is accompanied not only by pain and swelling. This pathology is also characterized by the following symptoms:
- Patient feels weak and generally unwell.
- The skin over affected joints becomes hot.
- Pineal nodules (tophi) appear on the fingers. These are nodules that are made up of uric acid s alts. They are clearly visible on the x-ray.
Without treatment, this disease can lead to quite dangerous consequences. Over time, urates are deposited not only in the joints, but also in the kidneys. This can provoke urolithiasis. In addition, in advanced cases, finger movements deteriorate significantly, which causes disability.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Often, people who work a lot at the computer have swelling and pain in their fingers. Why is this happening? These symptoms are characteristic of carpal tunnel syndrome. This disease affects patients who often commitmonotonous small movements of the fingers. This is a professional pathology not only for PC operators, but also for painters, seamstresses, and musicians.
Due to the monotonous flexion-extensor movements, the carpal tunnel narrows. This leads to pinching of the median nerve, which provides sensation to the fingers. Attacks of pathology usually occur at night. A person notices that his fingers are swollen and hurt on his hand. Unpleasant sensations usually begin with severe numbness of the hand. This is due to malnutrition of the median nerve.
As soon as the blood circulation is restored, there is a shooting pain in the fingers. Such attacks can be repeated several times a night. Numbness and pain are felt in all fingers except the little finger. This is a characteristic feature of pathology. Branches of the median nerve do not extend to the area of the little finger.
Without treatment, nerve compression progresses. There is marked weakness of the fingers. It becomes difficult for a person to hold small objects. Brush strokes become inaccurate.
Injuries
Often, even after a minor bruise, a person notices that he has pain and swollen phalanx of the finger on his hand. Trauma is a fairly common cause of such symptoms. Finger tissues are very sensitive to mechanical impact.
Dislocation of the finger is quite common. This injury can be obtained not only during falls and sports, but even with sharp flexion and extension. When dislocated, the joint looks deformed and swollen, andthe skin on the affected area turns red. Sometimes there is numbness of the finger and the inability to move.
A broken finger is accompanied by severe swelling and pain. In this case, the swelling extends to the entire brush. Abnormal mobility of the finger is noted, and a hematoma appears at the site of damage to the bone.
Even mechanical damage to the skin and soft tissues near the joint can lead to pain and swelling. Often these symptoms do not appear immediately. A few days after receiving a wound or cut, the patient pays attention to the fact that the phalanx of the finger on the hand is swollen and sore. This is a warning sign that may indicate suppuration near the joint. If the infection gets into the bone tissue, then septic arthritis can develop.
Diseases of the kidneys and heart
Losses of the musculoskeletal system are not the only cause of pain and swelling. There are cases when the diagnosis does not reveal any pathologies of the joints, however, the patient's fingers constantly swell and hurt. Why is this happening? The cause of such symptoms may be diseases of the internal organs.
Swollen joints in the morning may appear after drinking too much liquid the night before. This means that the patient has problems with the excretory system. Such symptoms are most often observed in renal pathologies. The pain syndrome is slightly expressed, and the swelling spreads to other parts of the body, especially the face.
If swelling andslight soreness worsens in the evening, this may be a sign of heart disease. Cardiac pathologies are often accompanied by edema. Fluid accumulates in the tissues due to slowed blood circulation. Swelling is noted not only on the fingers, but also in the legs, hips and abdomen. This is often accompanied by blue skin.
With diseases of the heart and kidneys, deformation of the joints and redness of the skin in the affected area are never observed. Edema is the leading symptom of such pathologies. Pain in the fingers is much less pronounced than with musculoskeletal pathologies.
Allergy
Pain and swelling of the fingers can be triggered by allergies. A negative reaction can be caused by an insect bite, contact with detergents and cleaning products, and taking certain medications.
In case of allergies, the pain syndrome is rather weakly expressed. The swelling of the fingers can be severe, sometimes it becomes difficult for the patient to make flexion movements due to swelling. In this case, there is always itching and redness of the skin, but there is no deformation of the joints.
Hormonal adjustment
Why do the joints of the hands in women swell and hurt? The reason for this can be any of the above diseases. However, sometimes pain and swelling develop against the background of complete he alth. This is due to hormonal changes.
Swelling and pain in the fingers can occur during pregnancy or menopause. During these periods, the work of the sex glands undergoes a serious restructuring. During gestation, this does not always require treatment. The patient is advised to limitfluid and s alt intake. Usually, after childbirth, all discomfort disappears.
If swelling and pain appear during menopause, then most often this is due to a decrease in the production of estrogen in the body. In such cases, the doctor may prescribe female hormone replacement therapy. However, you must first pass the diagnosis. After all, over the age of 45-50, women have an increased risk of arthritis and arthrosis.
Diagnosis
Exacerbation of the above pathologies most often develops suddenly. One day, after sleeping, a person notices that his joints in his hands are swollen. What to do and which doctor to contact? First you need to visit a therapist. If necessary, the general practitioner will issue a referral to a specialist of a narrower profile.
Many joint diseases are similar in symptoms. Therefore, it is very important to conduct a thorough differential diagnosis. If inflammatory and degenerative pathologies of the joints are suspected, doctors prescribe the following examinations:
- clinical blood and urine tests;
- blood test for biochemical parameters;
- study for C-reactive protein and rheumatoid factor;
- radiography, MRI and CT of the hands;
- microbiological and cytological examination of joint fluid.
If complex diagnostics did not reveal any pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, then the following examinations should be additionally performed:
- ECG;
- urine test according to Zimnitsky and Nechiporenko;
- ultrasoundkidney;
- blood test for hormones;
- allergen tests.
If swelling and pain are provoked by internal diseases, allergies or hormonal disruptions, then a consultation with a cardiologist, nephrologist, allergist or endocrinologist may be required.
Treatment
Suppose that a person gets sick and swollen joints in his hands. What to do and how to eliminate pain and swelling? The choice of method of therapy will depend on the type of pathology. If the cause of pain and swelling is inflammatory or degenerative diseases of the joints, then a course of treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is indicated. These include:
- "Ibuprofen".
- "Nise".
- "Ketanov".
- "Diclofenac".
- "Celecoxib".
These medicines are used both as oral tablets and as topical ointments and gels.
If arthritis or arthrosis is accompanied by severe pain, then corticosteroid hormones are used to relieve inflammation:
- "Prednisolone".
- "Dexamethasone".
- "Metipred".
These hormonal remedies are especially useful for arthritis of autoimmune origin. However, such drugs are prescribed only in severe cases. They have many side effects, so they should only be taken with a doctor's prescription.
Carpal tunnel syndrome also needs an appointmentanti-inflammatory non-hormonal and hormonal agents. During the course of treatment, it is necessary to give rest to the hands. Otherwise, relapses of the pain syndrome will occur constantly.
If the pain is provoked by the destruction of cartilage in arthrosis, then chondroprotectors are indicated. The most common tools in this group include:
- "Dona".
- "Teraflex".
- "Artron".
- "Gialgan".
Chondroprotectors restore cartilage tissue and stop its further destruction.
What to do if the joints on the hands hurt and swell with gout? Treatment of this pathology is not only taking painkillers. It is necessary to undergo a course of therapy with drugs that reduce the concentration of uric acid in the body. These include:
- "Allopurinol".
- "Thiopurinol".
- "Orotic acid".
These drugs inhibit the synthesis of uric acid in the body and prevent the deposition of its s alts in the joints. In addition, with gout, you must follow a diet with a restriction in the diet of protein foods.
Allergic reactions can be stopped with the help of antihistamines ("Suprastin", "Claritin", "Tavegil", etc.). Finger swelling disappears completely after suppression of the body's immune response to the allergen invasion.
If the swelling of the fingers is associated with diseases of the kidneys and heart, then the treatment is carried out in a hospital. The appearance of edema indicates a severe pathology. The use of anti-inflammatory drugs for the joints in this case is ineffective.
Conclusion
Pain and swelling in the area of the fingers should never be ignored. Such symptoms may indicate serious diseases of the joints and internal organs. You should also not take painkillers uncontrollably. Analgesics will only help relieve pain, but they do not affect the cause of the pathology. You need to visit a doctor as soon as possible. Without treatment, diseases of the musculoskeletal system can lead to decreased performance and even disability.
